1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates to cancer biology, immunology and pharmacology. More particularly, it relates to methods of treating diseases or disorders relating to gynecological cancer by administration of a nucleic acid construct expressing a Fas-chimera transgene product or a homogeneous population of the nucleic acid construct.
2. Background Art
Gynecological cancers are clinically aggressive, usually develop in tissues of the female genital tract, and are associated with a poor outcome. These cancers include cancers of the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and the cervix, and also malignant mixed müllerian tumors (MMMT). In rare instances, MMMTs can also develop in the female peritoneum (lining of the abdominal wall).
Gynecological cancers can be difficult to detect and are often diagnosed when they are at an advanced stage. Ovarian cancer accounts for approximately three percent of cancers in women. While the ninth most common cancer among women, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death among women, and is the deadliest of gynecologic cancers. 2012. Ovarian cancer is sensitive to chemotherapy with a high response rate to platinum and taxane-based therapies. However, in spite of advances in therapeutic design and delivery, cancer recurrence and chemotherapeutic resistance remain obstacles to treatment of these types of cancers. Despite aggressive primary therapy and high initial response rates, most women with advanced ovarian carcinoma will relapse and develop drug-resistant disease. In these advanced disease states, response rates to subsequent chemotherapy are substantially diminished, highlighting the crucial need to develop improved therapeutic agents and strategies.